Thursday, October 30, 2008

A Week at Unicoi Stay park in North Georgia

The other day I mentioned we spent our honeymoon in December 1967 at Unicoi State Park, Helen, Georgia.

Wait! There’s more.

On a weekend fall day excursion to the north Georgia Mountains we went to Anna Ruby falls with our married buddies Linda and Joe.

Before we got to Unicoi Park we stopped in Dahlonega, Dahlonega is famous for being the center of the gold fever back in the 1830s. Actually, it was not Dahlonega that was near most the gold mining processing but a little town named Aurara.

We stopped for gas in Dahlonega. While pulling out of the service station lot I remember was a big sign that said, “MAKE PEACE WITH JESUS!”

Joe said, “I didn’t know we were at war with Him.”

On to Unicoi State Park.

We noticed that the park had cabins on the grounds. I think on that same trip we decided that would be a nice place, removed from civilization to spend a week our honeymoon.

We went to park’s ranger’s office, which was adjacent to his living quarters. We told him we were getting married in December the 9th and would like to rent a cabin for a week.

He was somewhat shy but very friendly. He looked to be in his 60s. He told us his wife died a couple months ago and he missed her terribly.

During our visit he told me he wanted to show me something on the back porch. I followed him out and there was a horizontal freezer. I know there is another name for a not-upright freezer but I don’t remember. He began to open it and I braced my mind – I thought I was going to meet the Mrs. Park Ranger, frozen stiff.

He wanted to show me all the frozen vegetables that he and his wife grew and prepared for the freezer. He told us anytime we wanted to some frozen veggies, just come on down, he said, he said he couldn’t possibly eat all that.

The Alpine Helen had not yet been created when we were there that December for a week. It was just a little town on a hill. As I said in a previous posting, two of my ancestor John Hunter’s children were in-laws to the founders of Helen.

I remember the laundry-mat in town and also just north of town was a country store that had a bunch of working good old boys that seem to always be hanging out. I don’t think they were the kind to sit around and play checkers.

The park’s property is huge. There is a big lake with a dam and a lot of trails and little roads which we explored. Off someplace we came upon a barracks. Later we asked the park ranger about the old run-down barracks we saw and he said it was his understanding German prisoners were kept there in World War II.

I bet there is a hidden story about that place.

And of course the Anna Ruby Falls is the big draw. It is multi tear falls.

Here I am at the top of the falls smoking a cigarette looking like I am in deep thought. Back then it was a known fact you could see things much profound and deeper if you inhaled smoke during your thinking process.

If you don’t believe me just look at some old movies with Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable, or Greta Garbo.

Susan,It is a nice park. There is a book named "Living On the Unicoi Road" by Matt Gedney, that is out of print - but it is an excellent book about the area.

I would love to take credit for the beautiful pictures - but with my luck it would be proven I was fibbing. I swiped the park and the color waterfall picture off the Internet. However, I did pose for the black and white picture - do I get any kind of credit for that?